Old Friends, New Collaboration</h1> <article> <h1>Old Friends, New Collaboration</h1> <p>srasmuss — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 18:10:22 +0000</p> <span>Old Friends, New Collaboration</span> <span><span>srasmuss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-01-27T13:10:22-05:00" title="Monday, January 27, 2025 - 13:10">Mon, 01/27/2025 - 13:10</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Throughout his decades of playing chamber music, <a href="https://emanuelax.com/">Emanuel Ax</a> has kept his friends close. “ It’s wonderful to have people on stage that you like,” the pianist says. “I’m pretty gregarious as a person, so I like being with someone, especially old friends.”</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-left"> <figcaption>Emanuel Ax</figcaption> </figure> <p>Now in his 70s, the esteemed musician has performed with many of the same collaborators for decades, including cellist Yo-Yo Ma and violinists Issac Stern and Leonidas Kavakos. But his next recital tour brings him together with someone new: clarinetist <a href="https://www.anthonymcgill.com/">Anthony McGill</a>.</p> <p>The duo’s upcoming performances feature a program of wide-ranging music, and their travels include a stop at Finney Chapel. That <a href="/events/artist-recital-series-emanuel-ax-piano-and-anthony-mcgill-clarinet">concert, on February 4 at 7:30 pm</a>, will be presented as part of <a href="/artsguide/artist-recital-series">91ֱ��’s Artist Recital Series</a>.</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Anthony McGill</figcaption> </figure> <p>Although McGill — the current principal clarinetist of the New York Philharmonic — is a recent collaborator, Ax says he certainly qualifies as an old friend. The two first met during McGill’s pre-college days at Chicago’s Merit School of Music, when Yo-Yo Ma invited Ax to play some trios with him and the young clarinetist.</p> <p>Ax hasn’t shared a stage with McGill since then, but he’s certainly followed his career. “Of course I’ve heard him innumerable times, both at the Met Opera and at the New York Philharmonic,” he says. “He’s a fabulous, fabulous artist.”</p> <p>Both musicians agreed that the centerpiece of the upcoming program at 91ֱ�� would be Franz Schubert’s Sonata in a minor, D. 821, one of many transcriptions featured on the recital. Schubert composed this work for the arpeggione, an early 19th-century bowed instrument that quickly fell out of fashion.</p> <p>Other pieces were written specifically with clarinet in mind, like Leonard Bernstein’s Sonata for Clarinet and Piano — the first published work by the celebrated conductor and composer, and one that the duo were both drawn to.</p> <p>“I’m a huge Bernstein fan,” Ax says. “The piece is very, very accomplished and well put together. And a little scary, because it’s rhythmically difficult in the last movement. At my age, anything rhythmically hard is hard.”</p> <p>James Lee III’s Ad anah? and Jessie Montgomery’s Peace were both suggestions that were new to Ax. “They’re both very atmospheric and lovely,” he says. Between those two contemporary works is a solo piano piece that needs little introduction — Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Sonata in c-sharp minor, Op. 27, No. 2, also known as the “Moonlight Sonata.”</p> <p>Why the Beethoven? “It’s a wonderful piece, and it’s not too long,” he says. “It’s sixteen minutes, so that’s probably the shortest sonata one could play.” In other words: “Why not?”</p> <p>Robert Schumann’s Fantasiestücke, Op. 73 is “ just so beautiful and such a wonderful opening,” Ax says. Although the three short pieces were originally written for clarinet and piano, transcriptions for cello and other instruments are also common. “I don’t get to do them very often with clarinet, so that’s nice.”</p> <p>In fact, the pianist doesn’t usually play with clarinet at all. In the late ’90s and early 2000s, he recorded and toured with Richard Stoltzman, and “that’s the only other time I’ve done it,” he says. But coming back to this musical combination has been easy — “ if it’s an artist like Anthony, it’s no problem whatsoever.”</p> <p>Communication between the two in rehearsal has come very naturally. “There’s not a lot of discussion, because I think we feel very similarly about the way the music goes,” Ax says. “Whatever someone wants to change, it sort of happens without us discussing it too much.”</p> <p>Having enough rehearsal time in general is important to a successful performance, the pianist adds. “I think the more you actually work on things, the more you can be in the moment, because the more possibilities you’ve explored. I believe in rehearsing a lot just for that reason — not for establishing any one way of doing things, but for having the possibility to do many different things.”</p> <p>The week before Ax and McGill set off on the tour, the duo will be rehearsing every day. Ax says he’s looking forward to exploring the music and the many interpretations within. “I think we’ll find that there’ll be lots of different possibilities, and we won’t have to stick to any one of them.”</p> <p>Concert details<br> <a href="/events/artist-recital-series-emanuel-ax-piano-and-anthony-mcgill-clarinet">Anthony McGill, clarinet, and Emanuel Ax, piano</a></p> <p>7:30 p.m.<br> Saturday, December 7, 2024<br> 91ֱ�� College Finney Chapel<br> 90 N. Professor St.<br> 91ֱ��, OH 44074</p> <p>Tickets:<br> $35 Public | $30 OC Staff/Faculty/Alumni, Seniors, Military | $10 Students</p> <p>Concert tickets are available <a href="/tickets/event-details?EventId=14401">online</a> and by phone at 800-371-0178. Patrons may also purchase them in person between noon and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 91ֱ�� College's <a href="/tickets">Central Ticket Service</a>, located at 67 N. Main Street, in the lobby of the Eric Baker Nord Performing Arts Complex.</p> <p>Free Artist Recital Series tickets for enrolled 91ֱ�� students are available through the <a href="/artsguide/ticket-information/claim-your-seat">Claim Your Seat</a> program, made possible through the generosity of Richard ’62 and Linda ’62 Clark. </p> <p>Learn more about the <a href="/artsguide">Arts at 91ֱ��</a>.</p> <p>This program is proudly supported by <a href="https://www.ideastream.org/">Ideastream Public Media</a>, official media partner of the Artist Recital Series.</p> <p><br> —<br> <em>Stephanie Manning ’23 completed her bassoon performance degree while finding her way into journalism as a classical music critic. She recently returned to Cleveland after finishing a graduate diploma in journalism at Concordia University in Montreal. Her writing has appeared in The Montreal Gazette, Early Music America, and ClevelandClassical.com.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Two renowned musicians and friends — pianist Emanuel Ax and clarinetist Anthony McGill — team up for their first recital tour, which visits Finney Chapel on February 4.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-01-27T12:00:00Z">Mon, 01/27/2025 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Stephanie Manning '23</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2364">Artist Recital Series</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4069">Guests Artists and Speakers</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>91ֱ�� Celebrates Commencement 2024</h1> <p>mreed — Wed, 29 May 2024 00:43:17 +0000</p> <span>91ֱ�� Celebrates Commencement 2024</span> <span><span>mreed</span></span> <span><time datetime="2024-05-28T20:43:17-04:00" title="Tuesday, May 28, 2024 - 20:43">Tue, 05/28/2024 - 20:43</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Students sported caps and gowns adorned with flowers, stuffed animals, and other colorful add-ons as they processed onto the square before cheering attendees and encouragements from faculty and staff. Following the invocation from multifaith chaplain the Reverend David F.H. Dorsey, board of trustees chair Chris Canavan ’84 welcomed graduates and attendees. </p> <p>President Carmen Twillie Ambar recognized the faculty members who received the <a href="/node/468110">2022-2023 Excellence in Teaching Awards</a>. She then acknowledged the faculty members retiring at the end of the year, including Brian Alegant, Pamela Brooks, Chris Howell, James Howsmon, Roger Laushman, David Orr, Tom Newlin, John Scofield, Dan Styer, Peter Takács, Carol Tufts, and Jim Walsh.</p> <p><a href="/node/472055">Julia Maskin</a>, representing the Class of 2024 as the student commencement speaker, spoke to how her 91ֱ�� experience has been marked by her deep connections to student life and advocacy for equity issues.</p> <p>This year’s Alumni Medal was awarded to <a href="/node/472147">Nancy Dandridge Cooper ’51, MA ’54</a>, in honor of her dedication to service to 91ֱ�� College, and the award for Distinguished Service to the Community was presented to <a href="/node/472147">John Gates, MAT ’72</a>, and <a href="/node/472147">Linda Gates, MAT ’65</a>.</p> <p>Emeritus Professor of History Clayton R. Koppes presented <a href="/node/472147">Dr. Kathryn Anastos ’75</a>, an Honorary Doctor of Science, for advancing HIV and AIDS research and treatment on a global and local scale. “Anastos has made more than 50 trips to Rwanda and Central Africa working among the most marginalized people in the most stigmatized of diseases,” Koppes noted. “Dr. Anastos testifies to the power of intellect energized by a passion for social justice. She offers a vision for the class of 2024.”</p> <p>Dean of the Conservatory William Quillen also presented Giddens with the Honorary Doctor of Music in recognition of her contributions to American musical history and advocacy for a more accurate understanding of the country’s musical origins through art. “Giddens stands as one of the most important creative and artistic voices of our time,” Quillen shared. </p> <p>Giddens took the stage 24 years after attending her own graduation from 91ֱ�� with a degree in Vocal Performance and marveled at the circuitous route the ship of her life had taken. “I’m standing here before you, the unlikeliest of things—an opera singer turned banjo player—on this day of your celebration.”<br> <br> As she began her address, she fought tears and asked for a moment of silence for all people “displaced and killed by armed conflict around the world.”</p> <p>She then went on to admit she didn’t remember much from the speech delivered at her own graduation, but that she hoped graduates would carry a few core messages from her remarks into their lives when they looked back on Commencement day:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Dive into whatever you want to do. </strong>But have “no expectations. . . Let passion rule your life but be smart about it.”<br> </li> <li><strong>Be a lifelong learner—without fear.</strong> Decide to “continuously learn something new” but “you cannot be afraid to suck at it.” (Like picking up the banjo after being trained as an operatic soprano, for instance.)<br> </li> <li><strong>Be open to the unknown.</strong> “It’s great to have a goal,” Gidden said, “but be aware that you may not know what the path to that goal will look like.” Taking an unplanned detour can often lead to the most rewarding destinations.<br> </li> <li><strong>Use your privilege wisely.</strong> “It’s absolutely not shameful to have privilege,” she said, “but it is shameful not to share it as much as you can.” And we all have varying degrees of privilege. “You can be poor in money and rich in emotional support,” she explained. “That doesn’t make us more worthy or deserving; it simply makes us lucky.”<br> </li> <li><strong>Don’t lose hope that change is possible.</strong> She acknowledged that the challenges before us, as a nation and a species, are immense: the Amazon is on fire, disease is ravaging the globe, people are being killed. “My heart is with you,” she said, before adding that we must continue the work to better the world anyway. “Salvation,” she said, “lies in each other.”</li> </ul> <p>Giddens concluded with an emotionally charged a cappella rendition of a song by “friend and OG activist” Peggy Seeger, “How I Long for Peace,” encouraging the crowd to sing along with the chorus. Hundreds of voices sang in unison, the sound taking on the aspect of a prayer: Oh, how I long for peace.</p> <p>As the class of 2024 processed across the stage to receive recognition and their degree, cheers and shouts of encouragement were heard throughout Tappan Square.</p> <p> </p> <div style="padding:56.25% 0 0 0;position:relative;"></div> <script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script> <p> </p> <p>President Carmen Twillie Ambar closed the exercises with some positive words of encouragement for the class of 2024.<br> <br> “91ֱ�� graduates literally go out and change the world for good,” she said. “I can assure you that you are ready for all that awaits you in the world beyond. The only thing remaining for you to do is to go out and fulfill your destiny.” </p> <hr> <p><a class="go" href="http://vimeo.com/950864392">Watch the commencement livestream</a>.</p> <p><a class="go" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/oberlin/albums">See commencement photo galleries</a></p> <p><a class="go" href="/sites/default/files/content/special-events/commencement/2024/rhiannon_speech_final-accessible.pdf">Read the commencement address</a></p> <p><a class="go" href="/sites/default/files/content/special-events/commencement/2024/2024_oberlin_commencement_program-accessible.pdf">View the commencement program</a></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">On May 27, 629 members of the class of 2024 participated in commencement exercises, which featured a keynote address from Pulitzer Prize-winning musician Rhiannon Giddens ’00.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2024-05-28T12:00:00Z">Tue, 05/28/2024 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>On Monday, May 27, 629 members of the 91ֱ�� class of 2024 participated in commencement exercises. The ceremony, which took place in sun-filled and windswept Tappan Square, featured a keynote address from Pulitzer Prize-winning musician <a href="/node/471385">Rhiannon Giddens ’00</a> and capped off a <a href="/node/323776">weekend of festivities</a> that included family socials, conservatory recitals, and <a href="/node/471896">Illumination</a>.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3152">Commencement</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4069">Guests Artists and Speakers</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4067">Class of 2024</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4068">Rhiannon Giddens</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yevhen Gulenko</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> </main></body></html>